The motion was brought by Left-wingers who argue that military personnel are on nothing more than "recruiting missions" to coerce vulnerable young people to risk their lives for their country.

The incendiary language used by one teacher brought to mind those 1970s' posters – "Join the Army, see the world, meet friendly people, and drop bombs on them".

It was like listening to a Citizen Smith rant, but not remotely
funny. Or the sixth-form Labour faction when I was 18 and knew nothing.

It was an insult to all our military personnel, all those who have died or been injured in the course of duty, and all those families with a relative in the line of fire.

Excuse me if I've been deluding myself, but I thought we had
moved on since the Berlin Wall came down. I understand we live in equally dangerous, but more sophisticated times, in which young people study "citizenship" and are capable of holding at least two opposing ideas in their heads at the same time.

From the quality of the NUT argument, it sounds like teenagers are grasping some of the dichotomies demanded by the 21st century, but many of those charged with educating their inquiring minds are still fighting the battle of Greenham Common.

The teachers' particular concern is that youngsters from less-privileged backgrounds will see the Armed Forces as an easy career option. There are probably more Brownie points available for shoving them on to some spurious further-study course.

Well, I know several families from so-called "less-privileged" backgrounds with sons in Iraq, Afghanistan or who are considering it. And it hasn't been an easy career option for any of them.

It has been, in a couple of cases, the only (financial) option for these young people to get themselves through university, by having the Army cover their fees. In another case, of a lad who left school with two GCSEs (great education, that was), it was either falling in as a squaddie or falling in to a life of stealing cars and taking drugs with his loser mates.

And the one considering it? It is a source of ongoing torment for his
ex-Territorial Army father; on one hand, deeply proud to have a soldier son, on the other, worried sick for what could happen to him one dark night in Basra.

Who would willingly wish their own beloved child on the front line? Not me, for sure. I hope neither of mine want to do it, but that is selfish. If they do, then isn't it my duty as a parent to support them as they make their decision?

I'm sure that neither the Prince of Wales, nor the Queen, were cock-a-hoop at Prince Harry's dogged determination to go into battle, but he wants to be a soldier. Simple as that. Other youngsters want to be footballers, nurses or vets.

So, it is simplistic of these teachers to presume that pupils won't be interested if the military are banned from coming into school. That's
like saying if knives and cannabis are banned from the classroom,
they won't know where to find them.

Rather than closing down the potential for debate, it would be better to keep the lines of communication open and welcome soldiers in for a well-led and stimulating discussion. It's called learning about an experience from a primary source, one of the best ways to learn.

At a Holocaust memorial event I attended, there was a rustle of indignation when two uniformed Army officers walked in and took up their places, The organiser was worried that their presence might cause offence. The reaction of the audience afterwards – among them many under-20s – proved that his concerns were groundless.

One of the officers spoke candidly about his experiences in Bosnia, helping to put back together a country ripped apart by ethnic cleansing.

What kind of concerned citizen could begrudge the humanitarian actions of this sensitive, straight-talking man, who had done so much good in the world since leaving his native Yorkshire?

Recruitment staff are at pains to point out that there are more than 100 jobs in the Armed Forces. Not everyone will be firing rockets or loading a gun. Individuals leave equipped with skills as doctors, computer experts, cooks, translators, and yes, even teachers. In fact, in America, there is a scheme called Troops to Teachers, which encourages former soldiers to go into the classroom as rigorous role models for rudderless youths.

Now there is an idea. It could be just the thing we need to solve the shortage of teaching staff in our failing schools.

And imagine the fun at the next NUT conference.